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Palm Beach Area |
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Palm Beach Area
The Palm Beach Area stretches out along South Florida’s East Coast from Boca Raton in the South to Jupiter in the North. These towns, though, might as well be on a different planet compared to exclusive Palm Beach proper. This barrier island community was an early wintering ground for America’s elite—the Kennedys were considered the new kids when they started hanging around. Today’s Palm Beach is an oasis of culture and refinement, the old-money answer to Miami’s exuberance and Key West’s deliberate eccentricity.
Activities and Attractions:
With the wealthy snowbirds who first popularized Palm Beach came a lot of culture. The Norton museum (actually located across the water in West Palm Beach) is excellent. There’s a selection of Chinese art, a collection of impressionist paintings with all the usual suspects represented, and an American gallery featuring names like Pollock, O’Keeffe, and Edward Hopper. Another museum standout is the Flagler Museum, a 55-room mansion purchased with the owner’s Standard Oil fortune. It maintains much of the original Gilded-Age furnishings.
The main pastimes in Palm Beach, though, are relaxing and looking fabulous. The best place for the latter is along Worth Avenue, the so-called Rodeo Drive of the South. Here you’ll find over 200 boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. The big names in fashion and accessories—Gucci, Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton--are represented, and there are also many unique clothing and jewelry shops with one-of-a-kind finds.
As much as adults appreciate Palm Beach’s dignified attractions, you may find the island enclave a little lacking if you’ve got children with you. There are some kid-friendly options on the mainland, though. Younger kids will like the Rapids Water Park in West Palm Beach, and the Playmobil Fun Park in Palm Beach Gardens. The Palm Beach zoo in West Palm Beach is small but good, and the Lion Country Safari, a cage-less drive-through park (no convertibles—seriously) is fun for everyone. Wildebeests, rhinos, chimpanzees, and several kinds of big cats roam the grounds freely. It’s in Loxahatchee, about 20 miles west of Palm Beach.
Perhaps surprisingly for a town with “Beach” in the name, visitors don’t usually spend much time on the sand in Palm Beach itself because all the best ones are private. For quality beach time, try Singer Island, just north of Palm Beach. Singer has 47 miles of white sand, as well as parks with numerous hiking and biking trails.
Once you’re out and about, take time to explore some of the other beach communities along this part of Florida’s Gold Coast. In Jupiter, you can do everything from watching a sea turtle lay eggs to watching the St. Louis Cardinals play spring training games. Delray Beach is more laid-back than some of the surrounding communities. It has its share of cute shops and galleries, but is dominated by a two-mile stretch of glorious beach. Boca Raton, too, has several thousand feet of public beach. It also features some of the best dining in South Florida, so don’t miss out on the chance to explore Boca’s ritzy downtown.
Insider Tip:
Palm Beach takes its status as the nation’s country club seriously. Dress codes are a little stricter than you might expect, considering everyone’s on vacation. Men will find that at dinner in many restaurants, they’re expected (though not usually literally required) to wear a sport coat, even in summer. Women generally wear dresses or suits. The same goes for Worth Avenue shopping—if you want to feel at home strolling the strip, trade in the jeans or shorts for nicer slacks.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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